


Congealed

by simonlovelazy



Category: Mystic Messenger (Video Game)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Post-Apocalypse, Angst, F/M, You've been warned, brooding vampire with a thing for bad metaphors, seriously every bit of description here is a metaphor of vampirism, vamp!ray
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-02-15
Updated: 2019-02-15
Packaged: 2019-10-28 18:43:43
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,565
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17792705
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/simonlovelazy/pseuds/simonlovelazy
Summary: Since the Crash vampires have been growing in numbers and becoming more bold. Rival clans spill their blood for the influence over the barren lands, trying to device new methods of eliminating their own kind. It's a matter of time before the Hunters fail to keep the conflict - and even the existence of the Night Creatures - out of the public eye.And amid all this mess is Ray - a young scientist with a very personal reason for discovering the ultimate means to destroy vampires.





	Congealed

**Author's Note:**

> The lower the sun set, the harder it was for Ray to resist his second nature.
> 
> Belated happy Valentine's Day!

Behind the curtain, just enough to see without being seen.

MC was leaning over a shrub, her falling down hair successfully hiding her expression, but Ray could imagine what it was like. Halcyon. Peaceful, as she felt the warm kisses of the sun, immersed in the abundant perfume of the brilliant summer day, with the delicate petals between her fingers. Petals as blue as the sky.

 Sometimes it stung, this mixture of happiness and sadness when he was looking without being seen.

 Ray slunk back, deeper into the shadows.

\- —O— -

Rusty hues were spilling over the earlier pristine skyscape. It was time to go back to her.

Ray corked the test tube up and put his observations down in the journal.

_The method has so far shown no results. No indication why the test subject is immune._

He slipped his worn lab coat off, adjusted his ruffle, and put his jacket on.

Rushing through the slowly lighting up corridors, he was vaguely wondering if the colourful clothing did anything to liven him up.

She was in – he could hear the rustling pages, her low humming, the rhythm of her heart. This time she was to notice him.

A sharp intake of air – unnecessary but at the same time so very needed – and then a knock at the door.

“I’m here to collect the dishes.”

The moment she saw him in the threshold, MC lowered the book and placed it with the cover facing upwards on her knees. “You came! Please do, but why don’t you sit down with me for a while first? Rest a bit.”

“I _—_ ” he shook his head. Cutlery clattered loudly against the tray as she tried to help him tidy up. It was... nice. Being asked, that is. “I cannot. But I’ll be back soon with your dinner.”

MC shot up from her seat in the armchair, the book landing softly on the carpet, and handed him the dishes. “You’re doing it again.”

“What do you mean?

“Ignoring my invitations. Stay – nothing bad’s going to happen if you let yourself relax.”

Standing next to the window, she had her profile bathed in the dying out sunlight. Her eyes lit up with trust. She was so wrong.

He pressed his lips into a thin line as if that could seal the threat off.

“Later, I’ll bring you your food.”

\- —O— -

Preparations for the next day’s examinations took longer than usually. He was tugging at the sleeves of his shirt, un-cuffing them as he strode to her room, the jacket left at the back of his seat in the laboratory.

He hated it, how pitch dark sky glimmering in the passed windows put him at ease. No need to omit the blots of natural light on the floor, to squint his eyes. Darkness was so easy, so safe.

But he missed the sun. It allowed flowers to bloom, added colour to pale cheeks, and never failed to raise on the following day. And it wasn’t for him anymore – the most he could do was to step back and, fixed behind the pane, observe the spectacle of life and death that went on without him.

It was harder to keep safe distance now that MC was here. She was everything that he could no longer dream to be. And even worse, she was dangerously trusting.

Still, he was the airhead here. How hopelessly he clung to the scraps of humanity her ignorance allowed! To – just for a while - talk to a human and be seen as one was worth all the consequences he was likely to face afterwards.

The way gazed at him and called his name – oblivious of the effect she had on him; unknowing that her soft smiles and kind words filled his thoughts long after he’d left her room. Even if with difficulty, he was able to control his vicious nature while handling her blood samples, but somehow a mere glance at her drew him like a moth to a flame. It wasn’t only about his condition, if at all, there was something else in MC than blood that tempted him, something he was scared he wasn’t able to refrain from much longer.

Without doubt she would curse him once she knew, but until that... he was going to keep clenching his fangs and squeezing his eyes.

He couldn’t bring himself to stop loving the sun despite the pain it entailed.

Ray stopped by the kitchen, heated up the soup and roast he’d prepared in advance, and headed to MC.

\- —O— -

“I was held back by work. I’m sorry to bring you food this late.”

She was sitting in the same place as the last time he’d seen her, but this time her gaze was wandering about the vast greenery outside. Her expression unreadable.

“Eat with me,” she said, finally looking in his direction, “You brought more than enough for two.”

The tray made no sound as it was placed in front of her. “Thank you, but I’ve prepared it just for you. I’ll eat later.”

MC took a spoon and stirred the smooth surface in the bowl. A slight line appeared on her forehead as she tasted the soup. Did he put too much spices? Or was it too bland?

“You think I haven’t noticed. How you look wistfully outside, but never join me in the garden. You always reject food, and yet you always seem hungry. Eat with me.”

Were these tears that added shine to her eyes? No... was is determination? He took a sit opposite her.

“No, but I can accompany you a little if you wish so. When I invited you here for the tests, I believed I would get to spend more time with you. I apologise if you are being bored here.”

“Bored?” MC spoke over the mouthful of food. He’d almost starved her here! He had to remember from now on to bring food more regularly. “No, not bored. Just alone at times. But I’m really glad I can help.”

For the most time MC ate in silence, speaking up only to lavish praises on his cuisine. She ate with such appetite, he regretted he couldn’t join her.

“So, what have you been doing today?” she asked.

“Ah. I run some tests and prepared for tomorrow. Everything’s looking good so far, I think you’ll meet the Saviour in the matter of days.”

_And then you’ll know the truth and hate the thought of being with me in one room._

“Saviour,” she repeated. “Ray, what exactly happens after the oath ceremony? Will I become a member like you?”

“ _No._ I would _never_ allow them to do that to you.” He stood up, the armchair scraping the floor. “I see you’re almost finished, I’ll leave you to get some rest.”

He wasn’t expecting this, so he couldn’t react in time when she moved to grab his hand. Thankfully, she held onto the part covered with the glove, which saved her from discovering the unnatural cool of his skin. “Let’s visit the garden before you go. Please, it will mean a lot to me.”

Ray was about to refuse, but something in her face didn’t let him. After all, it was his fault that she was sitting here all days virtually without anyone or anything to occupy her time. And while his desires were by no means his priority, he really wanted to see the garden with her.

He nodded.

\- —O— -

“It’s different than during the day,” said MC, walking three steps ahead of him, “but it’s no less beautiful.”

Ray considered her words with curiosity. He was used to visiting the garden in nighttime, tending to it to fill the sleepless hours. There was no arguing it was different, but could it really be compared to the lively spectacle of the day?

Following her, Ray tried to look at the familiar trees and patches with the borrowed enthusiasm. The majority of flowers had hidden their buds, but there were night flowers too, evening primrose and night gladiolus, opening only now to fill the air with their fuddling sweetness. The buzzing of bees gave way to the cicadas’ concert. None of it was new to him, but somehow he found himself smiling, enchanted by his own garden.

“I wish we could see the moon,” she said dreamily, and turned to Ray as if remembering something. “Aren’t you cold? Maybe we should head back inside, I’d hate it if you caught something because of me.”

“It’s fine, we can stay longer if you wish.”

She tilted her head slightly sending him a quizzical smile, “Tell me if you change your mind.”

“I will.”

The distance between them was comforting, but MC waited for him. Ray entangled his hands behind his back, anxious not to touch her. When he caught up with her, she filled his senses with a doubled intensity, a unique fragrance putting all the exquisite flowers to shame.

“Ray? About what you said in my room... Are you alright? You know you can tell me if there’s something bothering you, right? ”

His new name was a constant reminder of what he’d lost, but it rolled so innocently off her tongue, without a shade of doubt that it could possibly not suit him. The first thing he had heard as a reborn, unwittingly filled with tragic irony. A “ray” doomed for darkness.

She took his wrists in her hands and even though this time Ray had seen what she was about to do, he did not move away. If she noticed his body temperature she hid it well or did not mind.

“Right?”

Her blood vessels pressed against his flesh, pulsating with vital energy, hot and quick, inviting.

Ray gulped. He shouldn’t be here. He really wanted to be here.

“Please, forget what I said.” He couldn’t look her in the eye, he knew her face was flushed, her lips lightly bitten on. Instead, he redirected his attention above her – to the leaves, swishing in the night breeze, to the moths hovering over the bushes. Only one part of the garden had fallen asleep, the other lived on, partaking in the cycle of life, still here even if easily overlooked.

“You were right about my garden. It is beautiful.”

“Is it really yours?” Her head whirled around taking the view in as if she saw it for the first time. “I haven’t seen a garden like this in... never actually. How is it possible?”

“It was an accident.” She raised her eyebrows and he couldn’t help but giggle. “A couple years back I discovered a substance, by chance, really, which temporarily reverses the contamination of the soil.”

“Temporarily? Will the flowers wither soon?”

“Isn’t it how nature works?” he smiled lightly, but the sadness did not leave MC’s expression. “Don’t worry, they will grow the way they would have before the Crash if I keep the soil fertilised.”

She nodded slowly, and he wandered if it was only now that she realised that beauty could not last. Each attempt to congeal it in time could at best lead to making a caricature out of it. A fleeting sense of acceptance, a glimmer of happiness – that was all. He was lucky to get to experience these once more after his time had already passed.

MC let go of him, but not for long, his hand was soon after clasped in her smaller one as she led him deeper into the garden.

“I especially love these,” she said, and even before she stood next to them, he had known which flowers she meant.

Her fingers found the bud like so many times before, but this time he was next to her as she felt the petals. Her other hand grazed lightly at his, and he found himself cursing his gloves.

“I never knew that before the Crash roses came in so many different shades.”

In this variety of flowers she had to pick blue roses. He couldn’t bring himself to tell her. Would she hate them if she knew roses would never grow like this on their own? Would she hate him?

That’s when her finger slipped onto the stem, harvesting a glimmering bead of blood when it hooked on a thorn.

He froze.

Without a blink, she put it in her mouth.

“Isn’t it nice?”

“W-what?”

“Being in your garden like this. You should come by more often, you deserve it – doing things that make you happy. I wish _—_ “

Her words were drowned by the rushing of her blood in his ears, interjected rhythmically by her quickened heartbeat.

Was her body finally sensing the danger she had got herself into?

The small cut on her finger became the centre of his universe before his eyes followed the mesh of veins, blue under her thin skin, leading up her arms, higher and higher.

**You deserve it. You deserve it.**

It was the movement of her lips when she got closer that hinted to him she was speaking. He looked her in the eyes. As trusting and filled with life as ever. He would never. He’s better than that. He started breathing in and out just to calm himself.

_“—_ happy too. If you feel the same and if you let me, I’ll be telling you how dear you are to me every day for the rest of our lives.”

Her hands wandered up and rested on his shoulders. She was so close he could see a lost eyelash on her cheek, and moved to take it off before he could think about it properly.

“Let me care for you, for a change.”

His mouth was taking the shape of rejection, and he knew it would take only one word for her to leave him alone. She wouldn’t do anything against his will.

And this was why he bent a little and met her lips halfway, instantly melting into their warmth. Softer than he’d ever dared to imagine.

She threw her hands around his neck, and he didn’t know where his hands went, so completely he got lost in the moment; his rationality drown out by her raging heartbeat, so deafeningly loud.

Absently he noticed how desperate her movements were getting, losing their initial shyness. Their mouths opened more widely in unison, but she was the first one to caress him so carelessly.

He gasped in surprise when one of her hands tugged lightly at his hair. MC giggled, but didn’t stop, instead turning his attention back to her tongue, which was now gliding over his lips.

Another kiss – deeper and more hasty than the previous ones, and he parted unwillingly to let her breathe, grazing his teeth over her lower lip and pulling at it in a way mirroring her own teasing games.

She jumped back, yelping.

MC patted with the back of her hand on her puffed lips, but Ray knew what she would see. A droplet of her blood almost burned a hole in his tongue.

Slowly, she raised her eyes to his. Only then he realised that his own mouth hang agape. He draped his hand over the offensive view, but it was too late.

“R-ray? What...?”

He shook his head heavily as if it could nullify what had just happened. Now she knew. It was over. It was all over.

He managed a choked out“sorry” before running off.

He was going to miss her.

**Author's Note:**

> Say what you want about Another Story, but at least it gave us a good setting for not-so-good vampire fanfiction, and that's something.


End file.
